The Sims 2: Open for Business

The Sims 2: Open for Business is the third expansion pack for The Sims 2, released on March 3, 2006, which allows Sims to run a home or community lot based business. Aspyr released a port of the game for Mac OS X on September 4, 2006.

Developer(s) Maxis
Publisher(s) EA Games (PC), Aspyr Media (Mac)
Designer(s) Charles London, Hunter Howe, Amy Kalson, Robin Hunicke
Series The Sims
Engine Pixomatic Engine
Version 1.3.0.351
Platform(s) Windows, Mac OS X
Release date(s) Windows, NA March 2, 2006, EU March 3, 2006,Mac OS X, September 4, 2006
Genre(s) Life simulation game, God game
Mode(s) Single player
Rating(s) ESRB: T, OFLC: M, PEGI: 12+,
Media CD, Blu-Ray Disc
System requirements Windows, OS: Windows 98/98 SE/Me/2000/XP, CPU: 800 MHz, RAM: 256 MB, Disc Drive: 8x CD-ROM/DVD drive, HDD: 3.5 GB free space, Video: 32MB DirectX 9.0 and T&L compatible, Sound: DirectX 9.0 compatible,Mac OS X, OS: Mac OS X 10.3.9+, CPU: 1.2 GHz PowerPC G4/G5, RAM: 256 MB, Disc Drive: DVD drive, HDD: 2 GB free space, Video: 32 MB ATI Radeon 9000/nVidia GeForce FX 5200
Input methods Keyboard, Mouse


New additions Changes to the main game

The main change to the core game introduced by Open for Business is a new neighborhood type - the Shopping District, the default one being named Blue Water Village (which is also the name of a British shopping center). A number of Sims live here, such as a toymaking family, a woman who owns a home-based flower shop, a family bakery, and a rich tycoon who owns a nightclub and an electronics shop.Community lots are more flexible now, removing many of the gameplay restrictions that were present on them in the original game. Players can now save the game while their Sims are visiting community lots. Reloading their household automatically takes the player to the community lot where the Sims are located. The downside of this ability is that Sims can now die on community lots, but only the one the player is.Like the previous expansions, new Wants and Fears and interactions were added, including a new Lifetime Want and several new interactions for children. Some changes to items from the base game are also present. For example, doors are now lockable. They can be set to allow only one Sim, the whole family, or just employees to enter. This is useful for home-based stores, so customers won't enter the family's house.There are many new objects in this expansion. While furniture styles and the build-mode selection have been expanded, the biggest difference is the addition of business-oriented things like cash-registers, shelves, elevators, and crafting centers that Sims can use to create things to sell.Several features from Nightlife and University, such as influence levels, turn ons and turn offs, are available to players without those expansion packs.

Running businesses

The concept of running a business is the game's main new feature. This is a new direction for The Sims 2, as it now includes elements of a business simulation game. The game allows the player to control various aspects of running a business including picking which products to sell, hiring and firing employees, crafting goods, and restocking shelves. The game also rewards the player for meeting several predetermined goals; also, a mystery shopper may visit the business and critique it.

Around the house

Open for Business adds new functionality to a Sims' productivity around the house. Sims are able to craft new items, including toys, flower arrangements and robots. Additional items include those aimed specifically at enhancing the business setting like an old-style Cash Register, Beauty salon chairs, child-oriented toys, and Mission Style furniture. Also is the addition of the Servo, a household robot, which can perform basic tasks and function like a Sim in regards to Social interaction. Some new items, called "Bots" in general, aim to increase productivity on a lower scale than Servo's operation, usually performing one task, such as cleaning the floor or watering plants. Servos also appeared in the original game's expansion pack The Sims: Livin' Large as it's known in North America and Australia and The Sims: Livin' It Up as it is known in Europe.

Architecture

Open For Business adds more functionality to Build Mode. New Elevators both open a new possibility for public interactions and create a risk for fatality by plummeting. Domed, conical and octagonal roofs in different sizes are now available. Players may also add Awnings. Doors may now also be locked by a home or business owner, to allow either the selected sim, family or employees only.

Talent Badges

"Open for Business" adds a new "talent badge" system. A Sim must repeatedly do an action that raises that badge's level. The four levels are: none, bronze, silver, and gold. The talent badges include:
* Sales: The ability to convince a customer to buy an item. A successful sale will raise the sales bar, which, when full, will cause the customer to buy the item. The sales can be accepted or rejected depending on customer loyalty, mood, and the badge level of the salesman. The different actions include the basic sale, the cheap offer, the "hard sale", and the dazzle. The higher level sales have better pay offs, but more serious consequences. A salesman can also select a customer that looks confused, and use the "Sales... May I Help You?" command. This badge is raised by using a sale interaction. This skill can be raised more quickly by having a high charisma skill.
* Register: The register badge affects how quickly an employee can ring up a customer. With this badge the process will take much less time, and reduce the chance that customer loyalty will be lost by long wait times. This badge is only raised by using the cash register, and can be raised more quickly by Sims with a high logic skill.
* Restocking: The restocking badge affects how quickly an employee can restock an item before it has been purchased. This is raised by restocking items, and can be raised more quickly by Sims with a high Body skill.
* Salon: The salon badge increases the chance that an employee in a barber shop will succesfully cut hair. Bad haircuts reduce customer loyalty. This badge is easily raised by offering free haircuts and having a high cleaning skill.
* Flower Arranging: This badge is used at one of three "craft tables." It allows a Sim to make a bouquet of flowers. The flowers are then sold, given as gifts, or used to improve the room score. A higher level badge increases the types of flowers that can be arranged. This badge is raised by arranging bouquets, and the rate of learning is increased by a high Creativity skill level.
* Robotics: This badge is used at one of three "craft tables." It allows a Sim to make robot toys and devices. The robots are then sold, given as gifts, or used for fun and services. A higher level badge increases the types of robots that can be built. This badge is raised by building robots, and the rate of learning is increased by a high Mechanical skill level. A gold badge is the only way to make a Servo, a robot that acts like a Sim.
* Toy Making: This badge is used at one of three "craft tables." It allows a Sim to create toys. The toys are then sold, given as gifts, or used for fun by children. A higher level badge increases the types of that can be built. This badge is raised by building skills, and the rate of learning is increased by a high Mechanical skill level.

Music

A new musical genre titled New Wave is included, along with its own speaker. Major bands from the '80s each contributed one of their major hits re-recorded in Simlish. In particular, the game features:
* Depeche Mode with "Suffer Well"
* Kajagoogoo with "Too Shy"
* Howard Jones with "Things Can Only Get Better"
* Epoxies with "Synthesized"
Also, a new station known as Shopping has been included, which features the "Buy Mode" music from The Sims.



by : iMAm